#TheBoysAreBackinTown – Rosepoint Publishing

Rosepoint Reviews - April Recap

I’ve always enjoyed May—still some transition weather—but generally warming and the kick-off of my gardening activities, both veggies and flower bed. (The fairy garden has been hit by gremlins.) I did manage to get in both seeds and seedlings. Unfortunately, that was followed quickly by a Spring freeze. I’ll be replacing tomatoes and peppers.

For those following Punkin the Pom, we are still one step forward, two back. This poor little thing…only Heaven (and the breeder) knows her history. Hoping she is gradually gaining a little trust in us while trying ever so subtly now to push her boundaries a bit as she still spends most of her days safely ensconced in her crate (almost seven months now). We took her to a groomer who cut all her guard hair off down to her undercoat. I told her I didn’t want it that short, but she now looks like a little puff ball.

This year is flying by; where did April go? We read and reviewed thirteen books in April. Leaning more heavily on audiobooks and burning through two to each I read. I’ll be catching up with a few of those reviews soon!

In the meantime, links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase or source information.

Rosepoint Reviews-April Recap

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill
Down Range by Taylor Moore (audiobook)
Ahab and Jezebel by Joseph Bringman (CE review)
Blood Mountain by Alisa Lynn Valdés
The Hunter by Tana French (audiobook)
I Have Your Back by Tom Sileo (CE review)
Closer Than You Think by Jean Grainger
The Drifter by Nick Petrie (audiobook)
The Debt Collector by Steven Max Russo (CE review)
The Heaven Spot by Mary Frances Hill (book tour)
Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger (audiobook)
The Boys Are Back in Town by Karl Kling (CE review)
The Wharton Plot by Mariah Fredericks

Favorite Book of the Month

I had several books that I just couldn’t quite give all five stars—but the CE thoroughly enjoyed one. So he gets the nod for favorite of April.

Book of the Month for April—The Debt Collector

My Reading Challenges page, as always, is behind. I’ll get to it after the garden is in. Not unsurprising, the Goodreads Challenge is five books behind schedule at 44 of 150. (See excuse noted above.)

May is solid and I’m planning on having a multiple review post shortly. Of course, I’m also looking forward to doing some bike riding. My first of the year ride had some muscles screaming at me—we lose it so fast in the winter—don’t we?

Welcome to my new subscribers. I’m loving getting in some blog hopping and looking forward to spending time with more of you.

k-luv-u-bye

Book Blurb:

“He smoked that pretty good,” Bullock said as he looked down the ravine at where the car landed. “Autopsy said he didn’t have a heart attack or anything, so the impact must have killed him. Hell of a way to go.”

“Every way is a hell of a way to go,” I said as I knelt closer to the road looking in both directions.

My name is Brody James. After 15 years I’ve returned to the hometown I swore I’d never return to.

This is my first case since coming back, and one thing I’m sure of is that Gary Hutchins didn’t kill himself.

My partner Bullock isn’t so sure. He’s young, he’s passionate, can be annoying as hell sometimes, but he’s a good cop. I like him.

With Gary’s death one month after Rebekah Wertheimer overdosed, I know there’s a connection.

Bullock thinks I might be too personally involved in the case since I went to school with both victims. To be honest, I didn’t really like either of them or their friend Joseph Agam.

I’m willing to bet he’s in danger too. Bullock is willing to bet that I’m trying to solve these cases to impress Chloe Brown, who smells of lilacs and roast beef.

I have to remember that Bullock is young, he’s passionate, can be annoying as hell, and sometimes, I just want to punch him in the face.

His Review:

Brody James is a recent addition in the police force. Bullock is his senior partner and not the least bit shy in managing. Brody has to get used to a pushy partner after nearly a dozen years in the navy. Three people have died in their town of Stonington and they are tasked with finding the reason. The fact that one seemed like a suicide and the other a car wreck did not detour this intrepid duo.

This tome has brilliant writing at times and I enjoyed the tale. Trying to fit a square peg into a round hole seemed to be the officer’s tactic. Decide who did the crime and then prove it. Occasionally forensics would help but the crime did not always fit their theory with confounding evidence.

I enjoyed the book but found it aggravating to have to untangle some of the words grouped together in one or two lines of text—a formatting problem. The final conclusion was well thought through and overall all the book was entertaining. Otherwise, an additional editor or two would greatly smooth the narrative as well as increased attention to the formatting problems. 4 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Murder, Police Procedurals, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Three Dorks Publishing
ASIN: B0CM1KJJ8N
Print Length: 308 pages
Publication Date: October 27, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s): The Boys Are Back in Town [Amazon]

The Author: The Boys Are Back in Town is the first book written by Karl Kling, who has had a varied career.

A longtime baseball coach, Karl has owned a training facility in Howell, Michigan for the past 13 years with his wife, Debra, and three sons. He has coached at the collegiate level (17 years) and the high school level (9 years). He also currently serves as the Field Director for the Detroit Tigers Summer Youth Camps.

Previously, Karl worked as a Sports Information Director at the collegiate level, was a local newspaper reporter and editor (he guided the Milford Times to the Michigan Press Association Newspaper of the Year – Class C Weekly – in 2002). He also spent much of the 90s working in politics as well as being a mobile disc jockey for a few years.

Have a good one